Check in time

[ak1004]

We are sailing on the Dawn next Monday and staying in a hotel in Fort Lauderdale for one night. The hotel is 15 minutes drive from the port.

 

My understanding is that check in is at 2pm. Do they allow to board early? What would be the best course of action? Stay at the hotel after check out, have lunch around noon, relax by the pool and then head to the port around 1:30-2:00? Or arrive early and hope they let us board early and have lunch on the ship?

[canderson]

Boarding always starts when it starts.  They target for 2pm, but we were aboard at 1pm for lunch at the buffet in La Terrazza (in cabins at 4pm) on the cruise right before yours (TA ex Lisbon), but there's no telling how things will go from FLL.  I would expect a bit more going on with customs/immigration re crew/entertainment changes, etc.

[canderson]

Your bigger concern is whether the ship will leave FLL on time.  Provisioning may take a bit longer than normal.  We've made sure that it's going to take them a while to replenish the wine stock! 

 

FYI:  If you like a super Tuscan, they still have the 2018 Tignanello (Antinori) for less than stateside retail.

 

[dawntrdr]

Last January, we got to FLL port (Port Everglades) at noon and boarded by 1 pm.  Tagging @Randyk47, whom I believe had the same experience.  Getting there earlier doesn't help because the boarding area is not open/employees not there yet.

[ak1004]

3 minutes ago, canderson said:

Boarding always starts when it starts.  They target for 2pm, but we were aboard at 1pm for lunch at the buffet in La Terrazza (in cabins at 4pm) on the cruise right before yours (TA ex Lisbon), but there's no telling how things will go from FLL.  I would expect a bit more going on with customs/immigration re crew/entertainment changes, etc.

thanks! Just trying to decide if it’s worth to arrive around 1pm and risk spending an hour in the terminal? Or just relax by the pool in the hotel, eat something light and arrive at 2?

[ak1004]

2 minutes ago, canderson said:

Your bigger concern is whether the ship will leave FLL on time.  Provisioning may take a bit longer than normal.  We've made sure that it's going to take them a while to replenish the wine stock! 

 

FYI:  If you like a super Tuscan, they still have the 2018 Tignanello (Antinori) for less than stateside retail.

 

As long as there is enough black caviar, we are good.. don’t care much about wine.

[Catlover54]

I see you did an SS cruise in 2022, so you know what the boarding buffet lunch is likely to consist of.

You are likely to be able to board around 1PM (sometimes earlier), but do you want to?  

If you like the buffet lunches on SS, go ahead and show up early (I would shoot for shortly before 1) and plan for a late lunch on board,  but have an e-book with you in case you need to sit around.

If not, enjoy one more FLL lunch (there are so many choices, unlike on the ships), and just keep your 2PM time.

Despite so many cruises I have lost count, I tend to be a nervous Nellie and have no peace until I am actually *on* the ship, regardless of how good or poor the on-board lunch is, so I like to get on board as early as it is allowed, and at least have a celebratory glass of boarding champagne and walk the decks before more people come, even if suite access won't come until later.

[drron29]

On the Dawn in March 2022 and the Moon March 2023 we arrived at the ports ~ 11am and were able to begin the checkin process. On board before midday.

In October this year we arrived ~ 3pm as it was pouring rain and we had a 4pm hotel checkout. Thought the hotel would be the more pleasant place to watch the rain fall than the Muse.

[gnome12]

2 hours ago, dawntrdr said:

Last January, we got to FLL port (Port Everglades) at noon and boarded by 1 pm.  Tagging @Randyk47, whom I believe had the same experience.  Getting there earlier doesn't help because the boarding area is not open/employees not there yet.

Note that if you don't actually select from the drop-down box when you type in the tag, all you will see is @dawntrdr (and the person won't be notified) rather than when you select properly from the drop-down box when you will see the blue oval around the name @dawntrdr, who will then be notified.

[Dolcevita Diva]

3 hours ago, ak1004 said:

We are sailing on the Dawn next Monday and staying in a hotel in Fort Lauderdale for one night. The hotel is 15 minutes drive from the port.

 

My understanding is that check in is at 2pm. Do they allow to board early? What would be the best course of action? Stay at the hotel after check out, have lunch around noon, relax by the pool and then head to the port around 1:30-2:00? Or arrive early and hope they let us board early and have lunch on the ship?

Keep in mind that if you decide to try to board early and are able to do so, you may not be able to access your suite or your luggage onboard until 4 pm. Your proposed plan of having a nice lunch at the hotel and relaxing before heading to the port makes sense - and you can always ask the hotel for a late checkout. 

[ak1004]

13 minutes ago, Dolcevita Diva said:

Keep in mind that if you decide to try to board early and are able to do so, you may not be able to access your suite or your luggage onboard until 4 pm. Your proposed plan of having a nice lunch at the hotel and relaxing before heading to the port makes sense - and you can always ask the hotel for a late checkout. 

 

I think this is what we'll do. Check out is at 11, so we can always storage the luggage, have lunch and go to the ship around 1:30.

 

Speaking of hotel - anyone stayed at Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa? Do they have nice dining options or better to take Uber and have a nice dinner on Las Olas?

[jollyjones]

 

You are unlikely to be able to board early because the Dawn is coming TA to start her Caribbean season and will have to have a very thorough Coast Guard inspection. Which cannot begin until the ship is completely zeroed - ie all pax and crew have been through CBP inspection, and all pax (including b2b) have disembarked.

I was told last time I was in this situation the CG inspection didn't start before 11am and took ages. Nothing can be loaded or unloaded till this is done. The ship sailed late because it was so late before the cargo could be loaded, and I'm not sure we got all of it.

Usually in Lauderdale boarding starts around 1pm, frequently earlier, but in my experience when it's the first visit to Lauderdale after the crossing from the Med season, you'll be lucky to begin the checkin and boarding by 2pm. When I was last in this situation, nothing started happening before 2.30pm, I wasn't on board till after 3pm.

 

Your experience may differ but don't hold your breath.

 

 

Edited December 4, 2023 by jollyjones